Sonic the Hedgehog: Guardians of the Law
by reithedragonboy
Summary: A year has passed since the resolution to the LK-9 Case. Sonic is still working as a defense attorney and upholding the law alongside his friends and allies. However, strange things have been happening in the legal world with well-known agents of the law suddenly retiring with no warning. Is this all a big coincidence, or will the gang be reeled into another huge legal scandal?
1. Old Friends, New Murders Pt 1

Hello everybody! Well, here's what I promised at the end of the last Sonic story. This is the sequel to the story I've just completed a couple of weeks ago, "Sonic the Hedgehog: Attorney of Law". What you see before you is a start of a new story and new adventures of our legal team in "Sonic the Hedgehog: Guardians of the Law"!

Seriously, I'm so excited to be starting a new story in the same universe I created. When I finished the last story, I was still feeling the want to write more mysteries. In so doing, I figured I'd continue with the series and start a second story. I just couldn't give it up, and I all of a sudden came up with another basis for the legal story. Like it was with the first installment where the LK-9 Case took premise as the hidden plot of the story, there's going to be something at work here. The name might give you a hint as to what the plot might be, but I'm sure none of you will really be able to figure it out until a bit later.

But yeah, the way I'm going to structure the story is the same as before. The evidence already at hand along with profiles will be submitted at the beginning of the story. Any new and/or updated evidence will appear at the bottom after the story is finished. A new thing I'm going to try is that I'll be underlining all the pieces of evidence that is made mentioned within the story. For one, it makes it easier for me to find it since I have to look at the story and see what evidence has been presented. I had a hard time searching for them last time since there was nothing different from the evidence and the regular words surrounding them. That and I figured it'd make it easy for you as the reader to see when new evidence is introduced and/or used. Hopefully, it will create less confusion on both our ends.

So yeah, I'm just going to shut up now and let you all read this new story. Hope you all enjoy it. Please don't forget to leave a review telling me how you like it and all that. And before I forget, this story takes place almost one year after the resolution of the LK-9 Case. Just thought you'd like to know in case you get confused or something about potential time jumps and whatnot.

* * *

**Evidence:**

Attorney's Badge: A badge proving that Sonic is a genuine defense attorney. He's had it for almost a year now, and his reliability with the public has risen over the months as well as his legal skills.

**Profile:**

Sonic Hedgehog: An eighteen-year-old hedgehog who's been in the legal business for almost a year. He runs the M&M (Maurice and Miles) Legal Agency alongside his partner and adoptive little brother.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Old Friends, New Murders Pt. 1**

"Alright, everything's going to be fine," Sonic murmured as he sat on the sofa in the defendant lobby. He had a soda resting on the nearby table as he read through a case file he received only yesterday. It was the first job he had taken since returning from his month-long vacation, and he was starting to get a bit nervous at possibly having lost his touch. "It hasn't been too long since my last case. It shouldn't be too hard to get back in the groove of things once I get started."

"Please don't tell me you're losing your nerves, Sonic," a woman's voice broke through his concentration. "You're not a rookie anymore; start looking like the professional you are and look confident!"

"Easy for you to say," the cobalt hedgehog replied as he looked at the chipmunk standing just a few feet away from him. She was a longtime friend of his since their elementary school days. It had been a while since they met face-to-face, but circumstances had made today's meeting somewhat interesting. "It's been a while since I defended someone, and I'm starting out with a case that looks pretty open-and-shut."

"If it's that simple, then why'd you jump at the chance of taking it?" the woman asked. "I know you're kind of impulsive; you've always been like that for as long as I've known you. I just never knew you'd let it get to you."

"I like to think I've changed a bit since then." The hedgehog had since closed the file and got to his feet. "And like I said, it only looks simple. But with my past experiences in court, nothing is ever that simple. That and I'm sure the prosecution is accusing the wrong person. I'm just not sure if I'll be able to figure this out with what I got now."

"Well, you do have Vector helping you today. Even after the legal reform you brought about last year, he's still the only prosecutor I trust to go digging about for the truth instead of just trying to convict whoever comes his way."

"Well, a year isn't that long for people to get used to major changes. Most prosecutors are probably still in transition with how they conduct their business. I know a couple of them still prioritize winning over finding the truth. At least they aren't as openly enthusiastic about convictions as they were before I helped to solve the LK-9 Incident."

"Mr. Sonic, the trial will begin in a few minutes," the bailiff interrupted them. He then opened the doors leading into the courtroom and motioned for them to go in.

"I guess it's time to get the show on the road," the chipmunk said before making her way into the courtroom. "Don't worry about what's going to happen, Sonic. I'm sure you're going to find a way to prove my innocence."

"Never thought I'd hear my client give me a pep talk before a trial," Sonic replied with a good natured roll of his eyes before getting up. "I guess there's a first for everything. And don't worry about a thing, Sally. I promise that I'll prove you innocent!"

"Are you sure you can live up to that promise, Sonic?" another chipmunk, this time a male, asked as he stood up from his seat in a corner of the room. "Don't forget that this is my little sister you're defending in there. She may not outright say it, but she trusts you more than she does me. You fail to prove her innocent and she's not going to let you forget about it for as long as you live."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Elias," the attorney sarcastically stated. "It's not as though I'm not already under pressure to make sure this goes right. Why don't you just go to the gallery and watch things from there?"

"Just try not to mess things up," Elias sighed before doing as was suggested and heading towards the gallery section of the courtroom.

As the next few minutes came to pass, all the main players had situated themselves in the courtroom. Sonic was standing behind his designated desk with his file open and ready to take on whatever would be thrown at him. Standing across from him was Vector with his trademark headphones resting against his neck. He still looked as confident as ever as though he was going to win no matter what, but the hedgehog knew that was mainly for show. Win or lose, he always has the truth in mind when conducting the trial. The Judge was sitting at his podium reading a file that was most likely the main details about the current case. He still looked the same as ever with his mind for justice still in the right place. And as for Sally, she was sitting on a seat designated for the accused. She was as calm as she was when talking with Sonic, but it was no doubt that she was at the least a little bit nervous.

As it was with other trials, the gallery was filled with spectators curious enough to want to see how the trial will turn out. They were talking amongst themselves at a controlled volume about what might happen today. If anything, they were all as chatty and curious about the day's proceedings as they always were.

"Court is now in session!" the Judge announced with a loud bang of his gavel. The entire gallery immediately quieted down. "Is the prosecution ready?"

"Since when have I never been ready, Your Honor?" Vector coolly replied as he put on his headphones.

"I see you're as confident as ever," the old man noted before shifting his attention to the other side of the room. "And is the defense ready?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Sonic replied. He then silently added, _I just hope I don't end up missing the obvious stuff. God, why did I have to agree to take a case right after finishing my vacation?_

"Good, then let's get this trial underway. If you would please explain the premise of this case, Prosecutor Vector?"

"I'll be more than happy to." The crocodile immediately opened his notes and began reading through the specifics. "The victim in this case is a Mr. Scott Lanyard. He was a patrol officer who had just gotten off-duty the night he was killed. He was discovered in Mobius Park where he had been patrolling before clocking out. He was able to electronically clock out via his phone, and there are records of him having done so about thirty minutes prior to his death. At the least, this isn't a work-related death we're dealing with."

"Is there any chance that his killer could've gone into his phone and clocked out for him?" Sonic asked as he tried to gain as much information he possibly could. "It could be their way of trying to alter the time the crime took place."

"I'm afraid that's impossible. For an officer to clock out electronically, they would first have to gain access to the Precinct's website using both their user name and password. The site also requires them to input their badge identification number, and it asks for it in an offhand fashion so that the random person wouldn't know what to do next. Without any of those pieces of information, nobody would be able to fully access the website. Mr. Lanyard was on his own at the time he clocked out before meeting up with the defendant. A witness we found was able to testify to that."

"Hmm, this does explain things rather nicely," the Judge concluded. "With such tight security measures, only the victim could've clocked himself out. Very well; can you now explain how it was that the defendant was named a suspect? If memory serves me right, I think she happens to be the sister to the mayor of Knothole Village, Elias Acorn! Her being accused is sure to raise quite a scandal in that town!"

"I don't think something like this would be scandal material, but it has nothing to do with the trial," the prosecutor stated while adjusting his headphones. "Currently, Ms. Acorn is a detective who recently transferred from the Knothole Police Department. Apparently, she and the victim had some past relations since it was observed by witnesses that they were friendly with each other. During their meeting, they got into a scuffle of sorts which ended with the victim dying. Both the evidence and witness accounts supplement the accusation, so nobody other than the defendant could be responsible for this murder!"

"Are you sure it's enough to have us overlook the fact that the two appeared to have good relations as noted by witnesses?" the cobalt hedgehog asked. "If what you describe is true, then it doesn't seem like my client was in any mood to want to commit murder against a person who she considered a friend."

"You can think of it like that, but the evidence doesn't lie. No matter how you try to look at it, it all ends up pointing in her direction."

"But what was the cause of death? I haven't had the chance to read the autopsy report, but I didn't get any notes of there being any loss of blood."

"That's because he died of a broken neck caused by blunt force trauma akin to having fallen at a certain height. There was a six-foot ledge where the body was discovered, and it's believed that he was pushed off and ultimately broke his neck. There's a chance the he could've survived the initial fall, but the damage was too severe for him to have even survived a trip to the hospital. I have Mr. Lanyard's Autopsy Report along with a picture of the scene if you want to look over the other specifics of his death," he added before submitting the documents for both the Judge and defense to see.

"The court accepts this as evidence," the old man said as he looked at the Crime Scene Photo. "Hmm, it certainly looks like the victim died of a broken neck. His head doesn't look the least bit natural!"

"…As detailed as this picture is, I'm afraid there's something missing," Sonic stated after looking over the picture and seeing something he hoped he could use. "Prosecutor Vector, you said that the victim was pushed off a nearby ledge to his death. However, I don't see anything like that in here. Do you have anything that shows it was nearby and what it looked like? In essence, the ledge is part of the murder weapon. We need to be able to see if what you're claiming is even possible!"

"Oh, I forgot that there was a second picture of the crime scene!" the other exclaimed while flashing an apologetic look while at the same time giving off a cocky shrug. "The first one I submitted was to merely showcase the position the body was in. Here's the second one that was specifically taken of the ledge."

True to his word, the Second Crime Scene Photo had a ground view of the body with the stone ledge showcased in the background. It definitely was a bit taller than the average person but looked like one could easily jump from it with little to no damage. There was also a bit of what looked a lot like a phone booth towards the right edge of the picture with a blue light on the side having been lit.

"…Alright, you've convinced me that he probably fell off a ledge," the hedgehog said despite the bit of skepticism still hanging in his tone. "Still, it had to have been some push for the victim to have landed just at the right angle and break his neck. I mean, falling from that height wouldn't normally spell out death. That's especially so when the victim was still pretty young. You'd expect someone of his age to get away with a sore back or maybe a broken arm or leg at best! Are you absolutely sure his neck snapped because of that fall?"

"The medical examiner already concluded his death was a result from falling, Mr. Sonic," Vector irritably explained. "Unless you're saying that the coroner who examined the body is a sham, there's no room for doubt that he died from having fallen off that ledge. And there was evidence he was pushed, so don't start suggesting that he suddenly decided to commit suicide! Even I admit that it's hard to believe such a small fall could be the cause of death, but the facts at our disposal only lead to that conclusion.

"But if what you're really asking me about is the evidence found at the scene which led to the thought, then I suggest you ask someone with more knowledge on it. In fact, I think I'll go ahead and give you that opportunity. I'd like to summon Detective Silver to the stand so you can bug him with these questions."

"I think that's the best course of action we can take now," the Judge agreed. "Very well; Detective Silver can take the stand!"

Not even a minute later, the young senior detective took his place upon the witness stand. Even after the passage of a year, he was still considered to be the youngest senior detective ever to be on the force. Considering the amount of effort it took for him to even start off as a Precinct detective, many agreed that he would be the only one to keep that record. And his fame has yet to take into account that he was one of the key players that helped solve the infamous LK-9 Case and put away one of the most powerful prosecutors of the state.

"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court," the prosecutor stated.

"My name's Silver Hedgehog, and I'm a senior detective currently taking charge of the initial investigation," the detective professionally replied. Clearly, his rise in recognition failed to get to his head.

"Detective Silver, can you please testify to us about what it was you saw when you first arrived at the scene?" the old man asked. "I believe we need to know that in order to get a better picture as to what happened."

"If that's all you need, then I'm more than happy to oblige," the witness nodded. "Here's what I've gathered so far."

_**Investigating the Crime Scene**_

We received a call around half past six regarding a man found unresponsive in Mobius Park. A couple of officers went to check it out and saw that the victim was already dead. After they reported it in, I made my way there along with my team and began the investigation. Upon receiving the coroner's preliminary report, we discovered that the victim died due to a broken neck. He made it clear that it was from blunt force akin to having awkwardly fallen some few feet. There were also no signs of the body having been moved, so the only spot nearby that fit in with how he died was the ledge you see in the Second Crime Scene Photo. We don't have any witnesses to the exact moment of the murder, so our conclusions are based primarily on the evidence we gathered.

_**End Testimony**_

"As you can see, the investigation backs up my claim that the victim was killed by being pushed off," Vector concluded once Silver finished recounting the details of his investigation. "And the last person he was seen with was with the defendant. I don't see how it could've been anyone else that was responsible for this."

"You say that now, but the fact remains that there are still some things we've yet to fully discuss," Sonic quickly countered in an attempt to stop the other's momentum. "I can't see how you can be so sure of yourself right now. It's still pretty early into the trial, and there are some things that haven't been fully addressed yet. Saying now that only my client is responsible for this is rather premature of you."

"Then why don't you prove me wrong and go ahead with your cross-examination? And how about you take this time to brush up on your lawyer skills? You've been gone from the courtroom for almost a month; I've pretty much forgotten how it was like to go through you asking witnesses pointless questions."

"Putting the prosecutor's sarcasm aside, I agree with him in that we should move on to the cross-examination," the Judge stated as he flashed a disapproving look at the prosecutor. "The witness is all yours, Mr. Sonic."

_I already know what I need to ask,_ the cobalt hedgehog thought as he started mapping out his route of attack. _I still have no idea what kind of evidence they have against Sally. I'm sure Vector also knows how I'm planning to approach this. And if that's true, then why is he trying to make me figure it out for myself? Either he's sure that it can lead to a solid conviction or he just wants me to take a fresh look at it without him introducing it and giving me a predetermined set of guidelines. I'm willing to bet on the latter._

"Mr. Sonic, is something the matter?" the old man asked after having experienced a few seconds of silence. "You seem awfully quiet."

"Uh, sorry about that, Your Honor. I was just thinking about how I'm going to proceed with the trial."

"Might I suggest you stop trying to read the reasoning behind my actions and just get on with the trial?" the crocodile suggested as he successfully read the other's true actions. "I'm not the one who you're going to be questioning."

_Damn, I forgot how well he knows me!_ the defense attorney scowled before collecting his thoughts. _I guess I can't really tell little lies like that when he's around. But whatever; time to get the show on the road!_

_**Begin Cross-Examination**_

"Detective Silver, what were the police doing when you and your team first arrived at the park?" Sonic started off.

"They were busy sealing off the area from the general public," Silver responded without any hesitation. "Thankfully, there weren't many nosey people around as that particular part of the park doesn't get a lot of evening foot traffic. Apart from redirecting what little pockets of people who happened to come by, they hardly did much of anything."

"And what did you observe as you were conducting your investigation?"

"I saw the victim lying face-down with his head in an extremely odd position. I didn't need an autopsy report to know what he died of. However, I initially thought he simply fell and suffered from a tragic accident. Of course, that's where the report came in handy to confirm that his death was far from being an accident."

"Are you really content with merely bringing up details that we already know of, Mr. Sonic?" Vector objected in an aggravated manner. "We already know that this was anything but an accident. None of us would be here if that were the case! Can you please just move on and start looking for details that we know nothing about?"

"Hey, it wasn't like I was intending for the cross-examination to go in this direction. It just kind of did it on its own. But how about I use this chance to lead into my next question? Before having seen the autopsy report, how comfortable were you with claiming that the victim broke his neck due to a fall?"

"To be honest, I'm still having a hard time believing that was how he died," the senior detective admitted with a shrug. "That ledge was no more than six feet tall; it doesn't even constitute having fallen from a one-story structure! For him to snap his neck, he would've had to been pushed in a way that it would force him to fall head-first. However, such a short distance would make it next to impossible to do! Then again, I suppose where he was killed some role in making it possible."

"What are you talking about, Detective Silver?" the Judge asked with an eyebrow raised in question. "Are you saying that there's something unique about the crime scene the court has yet to hear about?"

"Well, neither of the photos submitted really show the top of the ledge. Along the edge of it is a metal railing that stands just a little over four feet tall. Unless you were to climb over it, there's no normal way for someone to just simply fall over. In short, Mr. Lanyard had to have been pushed for him to fall from there, and being pushed over the railing caused just enough momentum to make him fall head-first despite the relatively short distance. Combined with the fact that there's no evidence of the body having been moved and we can claim that he was killed at that exact spot."

"Oh, now it makes more sense how he managed to die like that," Sonic said. "And how about the moment of impact? Is there any indication that the victim could've lived for some time after the fall?"

"The coroner said his wound showed signs of healing. Something like that only happens when the person is still alive, and I'm sure he wasn't just walking around with a broken neck. And before you say anything, we didn't find any kind of last-minute message that he wrote pointing out who his killer was," Silver quickly added.

"I-I wasn't going to suggest that!"

"How very convincing of you," the crocodile sarcastically replied while taking note of the clear stutter. "Do you really think that I don't know how you prefer to operate after having worked cases together over the past year? We're practically courtroom partners! You should try changing your act a bit if you want to catch me off-guard."

Instead of replying back, the cobalt hedgehog merely shot the other a look that amounted to nothing more than a childish pout. As much as he hated to admit it, his courtroom techniques were pretty predictable. Still, it was what helped him free his clients of wrongful suspicions all this time. But if he was going to get further than the preliminary stages of this trial, then he had better start getting out of his vacation funk quickly.

_**End Cross-Examination**_

"Anyway, I think it's time we put an end to this conversation," Vector said as he seemed content to wrap up the questioning. "We've now learned all the circumstances surrounding the crime scene and the evidence that has been gathered. I don't think there's anything more we can learn from this."

"But there are still some things we still don't have answers to!" Sonic quickly retorted. "You can't just end the cross-examination!"

"I know, and that's why I'm merely going to ask Detective Silver to testify about another matter," the crocodile explained. "Namely, I think we'll get the answers we want if we ask him about the evidence found at the scene. After all, he's already admitted that their basis for placing your client under arrest was only through that."

"O-Oh, I forgot about that…," the cobalt hedgehog sheepishly admitted.

"I think someone had a bit too much fun during their vacation," the Judge said as he noticed the attorney's oddly rookie-like behavior. "But that aside, I agree with Prosecutor Vector. Detective, could you please describe to us what evidence was found which helped guide your decision in arresting the defendant?"

"Certainly, Your Honor," Silver complied with a curt nod.

_God, I got to stop acting like a rookie! Come on, Sonic; pull yourself together. Sally's counting on you to help her out; don't let her down now!_

_**Basis for Arresting Sally**_

As I stated earlier, witness statements weren't exactly a key factor in our arrest. The evidence that we've amassed simply indicated as such. One such piece was the suspect's DNA taken from the victim's body. The second was the fact that the suspect was seen talking with Mr. Lanyard minutes before the murder took place. And then there was a charm found on the victim that had the defendant's fingerprints on it. With all this evidence, it's hard to find a reason for why we shouldn't arrest Ms. Acorn!

_**End Testimony**_

"Well, this certainly seems like a concrete case," the Judge observed once the testimony was over. "Even without a witness seeing the moment of the crime, all the evidence seems to indicate that the defendant was the one responsible for this murder. I wonder if there's really any need for a cross-examination."

"Even if that's the case, I still have a right to ask the witness questions," Sonic quickly reminded. "There are some concerns I have that I would like for him to address while he's still testifying for us."

"Why am I not surprised to hear that?" Vector asked with a sigh. "No matter how small it is, you always pursue whatever lead you can get ahold of. If that's what you want to ask the detective more questions, then who's stopping you?"

_Geez, it's nice to know his competitiveness hasn't changed a bit the past month,_ the hedgehog thought as he refrained from rolling his eyes. _I just hope I can learn something new soon. Knowing Elias, he isn't going to let me live it down if I fail to get Sally acquitted of these murder charges._

_**Begin Cross-Examination**_

"Detective Silver, is it normal procedure to go arresting someone when you don't have a witness to the crime?" Sonic asked.

"It's not that unusual, but it is somewhat uncommon," Silver responded. "And for the record, we did have witnesses who told us what happened both before and after the murder. It's just that nobody saw the moment the victim was pushed."

"If that's so, then how about you explain to us in more detail about the evidence you found that led you to your decision?"

"Like I said earlier, we found DNA evidence on Mr. Lanyard's body that matched Ms. Acorn's," the detective explained. "Namely, they were Fingerprints on the left shoulder of his shirt along with a bit of Fur on its front. We've done tests on both and compared it with her DNA, so we're positive they belong to her."

"That may be evidence that my client was next to the victim, but how does that prove she pushed him off the ledge?" the cobalt hedgehog argued. "You already said that witnesses saw that they were friendly towards one another. Fingerprints on his shoulder and fur on his shirt are hardly damning under that light!"

"That may be true, but it definitely confirms witness reports that they were together before he died," Vector countered back with his arms crossed in a confident manner. "At the least, it's able to place the defendant at the time of the crime. In that case, the prints and fur are very important pieces of evidence. Unless you can somehow show that she was never at the park that night, you have no room to refute this."

"I don't think you can win this fight, Mr. Sonic," the Judge stated matter-of-factly. "I suggest you move on to something else."

"Ugh, then how about the people who saw the two together and stumbled upon the aftermath of the murder? Shouldn't they be here today testifying for us? I mean, what if they happen to be mistaken in what they saw?"

"Unfortunately, everything they said has been backed up by the evidence we found at the scene," the witness said as he shook his head. "In terms of those who saw the two together, their testimony fits in with the DNA evidence we found on the victim. We even cross-referenced it with other minor details; everything fits with what they said.

"And in regards to what was seen after the murder, there was only one witness to account for that. All she did was stumble onto the scene and contacted police. There are some things that seem a bit shaky, but most of what she said fits in with what we already discovered from our investigation. As you can see, whatever details we obtained from the witnesses were hardly instrumental in our arrest of the defendant."

"I don't know why you seem insistent on putting to question the integrity of every piece of evidence Detective Silver brought up," the crocodile growled. "Are you trying to suggest that there's something off with how his team handled the information?"

"Am I not allowed to ask for further insight on what you as the prosecution has chosen to present?" the defense attorney countered back. "As much as it's your job to doubt the innocence of my clients; it's my job to doubt the validity of your claims. I like to think that I'm only doing what I've been assigned to do."

"Can we please just get on with the trial?" the Judge cut in with a bang of his gavel. "As much as the topic of lawyerly ethics intrigues me, this is hardly the time to discuss it. Let's just get back to discussing the evidence presented. Detective, can you please explain to us what the charm has to do with the trial?"

"Actually, it's more of a Pendant than it is a charm," Silver corrected. "It's just that one of the members of my team recognized the design and knew it was marketed as a charm. After doing some research, we realized that it's a piece of jewelry with women as the targeted group of consumers. We found it clutched in the victim's hand, and it also has Ms. Acorn's fingerprints on it. It's safe to say then that Mr. Lanyard managed to take it away from her just as he was pushed to his death."

"And are you sure that it belongs to my client?" Sonic asked. Subconsciously, he was trying to remember if Sally ever owned something like that. "It's possible that it could belong to someone other than her."

"I can't say for sure, but I don't think that to be the case. You see, witnesses reported seeing her with a piece of gold jewelry in her hands as she spoke with the victim. While we don't have any evidence of this, we assume that he gave it to her as a gift of sorts. Ms. Acorn denies having been gifted with it, but we have no evidence on that accord. And combined with everything else we've discussed, it seems quite likely she's lying about it."

"So are you suggesting that the two were about to engage in a romantic relationship?" the cobalt hedgehog pressed. "I mean, gifting someone with jewelry is usually a sign of wanting to advance a relationship beyond platonic levels."

"You don't have to be in love to give someone something fancy," Vector objected. "It simply could've been a token of his appreciation to her. After all, they both worked with the law and had prior relations with each other. It shouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that he was simply giving thanks for something she helped him with before."

"So if it's a gift, then what about the jewelry box? If it was gifted to her by the victim, then wouldn't the box it came in be on his body? I would assume something like that would be listed as evidence if it were found."

"The investigators never found anything like that at the scene," the crocodile admitted off-handedly as though it were not a major detail. "However, he could be one of those people who prefer handing the jewelry itself instead of the entire box. There's more than one way to present someone with a gift; hiding it in a box just doesn't fit some people's style."

"I must agree with the prosecution on this, Mr. Sonic," the Judge spoke up. "Everything that you've pointed out either has been disproven or has no relevant evidence to back it up. In fact, I'm inclined to agree with the masses in that this really is an open-and-shut case. Unless you can rightfully dispute something the detective has testified to, I'm afraid that you've run out of room to work with."

"Knowing him, I doubt he'll just take this lying down," the prosecutor said in a goading tone. Yet at the same time, it was almost like he was giving the defense attorney a little push to not give up. "So what's it going to be? Are you going to magically pull something out of your head like you normally do or shock the world with a stunning resignation of defeat?"

_**End Cross-Examination**_

"…If you know how I work, then you know I don't give in that easily," Sonic cockily replied after giving things some thought. "And that's especially so when there's something that we've yet to discuss to its fullest!"

"Well, it's starting to sound like you're finally getting out of your post-vacation funk," Vector said with a wide grin as he put his headphones around his neck. "Now that we've got you back to your usual groove of things, do you mind letting us know just what it is that Detective Silver hasn't fully explained yet? To be honest, I think he pretty much covered everything there was to say."

"If that's so, then how come he hasn't explained in full detail what the witness who saw the body said?" the cobalt hedgehog asked. "Out of all the evidence he described, he seemed rather vague in terms of the witness who called police. He even provided evidence to back up the other witnesses' claims, yet he admitted that this one person's words were shaky at best!"

"As much as I hate saying it, there just wasn't enough evidence to say that the entirety of her account was the truth," Silver admitted as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Still, the key details she brought up were covered by the evidence we recovered. That being the case, we felt it was enough to warrant an arrest. Of course, I do admit that there's possibly some room for debate in parts of her testimony."

"So what are you suggesting, Mr. Sonic?" the crocodile asked. "Are you asking that we bring in this witness to testify?"

"I don't see how else we're going to clear up the debatable parts that Detective Silver has already admitted were in her account. If we want to ensure that we have the right person for the crime, then we should make sure that any roads that can still be travelled be checked out before handing out our decisions!"

"Well, that is a very valid suggestion the defense has raised," the Judge admitted. "As much as this case seems clear-cut, it would be premature of me to render my verdict now when even the smallest possibility of doubt remains. If we plan to clear this up, then we should have this witness summoned as soon as possible. But if that's the case, then we should probably call an end to today's proceedings. Chances are that she might not be here today seeing as how we all just suddenly taken an interest to her."

"Actually, there's no need to postpone this another day," the prosecutor calmly replied. "I had a feeling that the defense might try something like this, so I took precautions and enlisted all the people detectives interviewed that day as witnesses. It just so happens that the woman in question is one of those people. I've no problem with summoning her to the stand now provided that it's okay with Your Honor."

"I figured you were going to pull something like that," Sonic said with his arms crossed. "You never were one to just leave things to chance. Then again, I'm not really upset more than I'm excited at finally getting all the pieces in place."

"If the witness is already here, then we should hear her testimony. However," the old man quickly added, "I think a little break is in order. Prosecutor Vector, I suggest that you use this time to prepare your witness. Court will now take a thirty minute recess!"

And with a loud bang of his gavel, the trial was temporarily adjourned. Silver got off from the stand and walked over towards Vector to discuss some things. They were most likely discussing the trial and did not want Sonic to know about it. Said hedgehog knew they were on opposite sides right now and took no offense to them ignoring him. Instead, he merely gathered his things and left the courtroom so he could go back into the lobby and get his thoughts in order. That and there were a couple of things he wanted to clear up with Sally before court resumed, so why not kill two birds with one stone?

* * *

**New Evidence:**

Mr. Lanyard's Autopsy Report: A report detailing Mr. Lanyard's death. He died of a broken neck between 6:30 PM and 7 PM. It was caused from having fallen to the ground head-first. It's possible that he might've survived for a couple minutes after the initial fall.

Crime Scene Photo: A picture depicting Mr. Lanyard's body and where he was found. His neck is clearly seen bent at an odd angle with one of his hands balled up in a fist.

Second Crime Scene Photo: A second picture of the crime scene. It shows a broader view of the area where the body was found. The ledge where he fell from can be seen at the top of the photo along with a phone booth with a flashing blue light marked "maintenance" towards the right.

Fingerprints: Prints lifted off of Mr. Lanyard's police shirt. They belong to Sally. They were found on the area where the left shoulder is.

Fur: Brownish fur found stuck on the front of Mr. Lanyard's shirt. They belong to Sally and are believed to have gotten there sometime during a time of close contact between the two.

Pendant: A charm found clutched in the victim's hand. It is a gold necklace with a three-dimensional heart-shaped pendant about 1 inch tall and wide. It has Sally's fingerprints on it. The chain is broken most likely as a result of the victim ripping it away upon falling to his death.

**New Profiles:**

Sally Acorn: A twenty-year-old detective who has recently transferred from the Knothole Police Department. She's also an old friend of Sonic from before he moved to Mobius. She is currently being accused in the murder of Scott Lanyard.

Elias Acorn: Sally's twenty-five-year-old brother who has come to visit her during the trial. He is Knothole's mayor and has put the well-being of his little sister above the concern of whatever political scandal this news might bring about.

Scott Lanyard (derived from Scotland Yard): A twenty-nine-year-old man who works for the Mobius Police Department. He is the victim in the current case. He was a well-respected cop and always put the safety of the people on his beat first.

Vector Crocodile: A twenty-four-year-old prosecutor who is overseeing the current trial. Despite having known and worked with Sonic for a year, he still maintains a sort of friendly rivalry with the defense attorney. Despite that, he always makes it a priority to put the discovery of the truth at the top of his list.

Silver Hedgehog: A nineteen-year-old senior detective who still holds the title as the youngest to ever hold the position. As much as he tries to help Sonic out with his cases, his counsel is sometimes limited when he's to go against him in court. He has taken charge of the initial investigation.

* * *

Well, that's it for the new evidence and profiles. Seriously, those things take like over thirty minutes in and of itself just to put descriptions on. That's how much evidence I have to take into account.

But yeah, I'm sure you noticed that I've put in a couple more Sonic characters into the story. That's another reason I decided to continue with the universe I created. I know that there are a bunch more characters that I didn't introduce before, so I figured I'd give them a chance to come into the story now. However, don't expect all of them to be in-character or whatever. In the case of Sally and Elias, I don't really know much about them. They first appeared in the first Sonic cartoon back in the summer of 1991; I was born in the winter of 1991 and basically missed that whole series. And I know that they've made appearances in the comics, but I don't read comic books and thus don't know anything about their television and comic book personas. So please don't flame me saying they aren't in-character since i don't know how they act to begin with.

With that said, I do hope that you enjoyed the beginning to this story. Since I'm keeping in tune with how the Phoenix Wright games play, this first case should be fairly simple in structure. And for the record, I'm also doing this story without thinking ahead or anything like that. How the next portion of this case is going to unfold is a mystery to me as it is to you. I find that it makes writing the whole thing that much more interesting. The only planning I do is what kind of techniques of cross-examination I should implement and when. Other than that, the main details are something I have no idea about.

So yeah, I'll just leave you all alone now. That and I need to go to sleep since it's like 3:30 in the morning here where I'm at. Boy, I really need to go to sleep earlier. Please don't forget to leave a review before you leave. They not only motivate me to keep on writing but also provide me with insight as to how you as the general public are receiving this. Until the next update to this and any one of my other stories on here!


	2. Old Friends, New Murders Pt 2

Hello everybody! Here's the second chapter to the new installment of this Sonic Hedgehog mystery series. I decided to implement something new into this story, a new form of investigation that I'm sure some of you will find familiar. It was a bit difficult to find a way to properly introduce it into this story without making it seem to gimmicky or whatever, so I hope I managed to make it work and seem like a natural part of the story.

But yeah, I don't really have much to say on here this time around being that it's literally late at night. That and I pulled an all-nighter yesterday studying for my upcoming finals, so I'm really dead tired. Seriously, I haven't slept since two days ago. Don't ask me what I'm running on; it's probably just pure adrenaline along with my raging imagination.

But let me quickly respond to my reviewers. Thanks to **DanceDream** for your review. I'm glad to see that you liked the last story and have gravitated towards this one. I can't really say anything about the archie comic versions of these characters since I've never read the comics; and I don't know anything about Sally since she only appeared in the first Sonic cartoon. So I hope I did these characters some justice and not made them too OOC by mistake.

And to **Christian Wolf99**. I'm somewhat confused to both the meaning and relevancy of your review. It's nice to know that you are a male, but why did you put in the detail that you live with a single parent? Being that you started off with saying you were also a guy, it seems to indicate that you think I live with a single parent. I don't know how you got that idea, but never once in the last chapter's author's note did I ever indicated as such. If you were merely just sharing the information of your personal life, then I thank you for having done so. If not, then I'm very confused as to the meaning and relevancy of the topic in your review.

So yeah, that's it with the pointless talking. I'll let you all read the new chapter on here. Please don't forget to leave a review before moving onto the next story you want to read. Until the next update to this and any of my other stories everybody!

* * *

**Evidence:**

Attorney's Badge: A badge proving that Sonic is a genuine defense attorney. He's had it for almost a year now, and his reliability with the public has risen over the months as well as his legal skills.

Mr. Lanyard's Autopsy Report: A report detailing Mr. Lanyard's death. He died of a broken neck between 6:30 PM and 7 PM. It was caused from having fallen to the ground head-first. It's possible that he might've survived for a couple minutes after the initial fall.

Crime Scene Photo: A picture depicting Mr. Lanyard's body and where he was found. His neck is clearly seen bent at an odd angle with one of his hands balled up in a fist.

Second Crime Scene Photo: A second picture of the crime scene. It shows a broader view of the area where the body was found. The ledge where he fell from can be seen at the top of the photo along with a phone booth with a flashing blue light marked "maintenance" towards the right.

Fingerprints: Prints lifted off of Mr. Lanyard's police shirt. They belong to Sally. They were found on the area where the left shoulder is.

Fur: Brownish fur found stuck on the front of Mr. Lanyard's shirt. They belong to Sally and are believed to have gotten there sometime during a time of close contact between the two.

Pendant: A charm found clutched in the victim's hand. It is a gold necklace with a three-dimensional heart-shaped pendant about 1 inch tall and wide. It has Sally's fingerprints on it. The chain is broken most likely as a result of the victim ripping it away upon falling to his death.

**Profiles:**

Sonic Hedgehog: An eighteen-year-old hedgehog who's been in the legal business for almost a year. He runs the M&M (Maurice and Miles) Legal Agency alongside his partner and adoptive little brother.

Sally Acorn: A twenty-year-old detective who has recently transferred from the Knothole Police Department. She's also an old friend of Sonic from before he moved to Mobius. She is currently being accused in the murder of Scott Lanyard.

Elias Acorn: Sally's twenty-five-year-old brother who has come to visit her during the trial. He is Knothole's mayor and has put the well-being of his little sister above the concern of whatever political scandal this news might bring about.

Scott Lanyard (derived from Scotland Yard): A twenty-nine-year-old man who works for the Mobius Police Department. He is the victim in the current case. He was a well-respected cop and always put the safety of the people on his beat first.

Vector Crocodile: A twenty-four-year-old prosecutor who is overseeing the current trial. Despite having known and worked with Sonic for a year, he still maintains a sort of friendly rivalry with the defense attorney. Despite that, he always makes it a priority to put the discovery of the truth at the top of his list.

Silver Hedgehog: A nineteen-year-old senior detective who still holds the title as the youngest to ever hold the position. As much as he tries to help Sonic out with his cases, his counsel is sometimes limited when he's to go against him in court. He has taken charge of the initial investigation.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Old Friends, New Murders Pt. 2**

"Sally, do you mind if I asked you a couple of questions about the case?" Sonic asked as they sat in the defendant lobby waiting for the recess to be over.

"Let me guess; you want to know if Scott really gave me that Pendant," Sally bluntly replied. "Like I told the investigators, I have no idea where that thing came from. All I know is that I found it along the park path as I was going to meet with him. I picked it up and asked if he knew anything about it. He then took it from me saying he'll take it to the station later and see if they can find out who it belongs to. I never owned something like that in my life, and he never gave it to me as a gift."

"I figured as much on that," the cobalt hedgehog stated with a knowing nod. "You never were the type of person who would go for jewelry like that. I think you said things like that tend to be rather cheesy."

"The problem here is that the prosecution has everyone believing that she's lying about ever owning it," Elias cut in a frustrated tone. "Unless you can find some way to prove to them that she was telling the truth, it's going to be hard to get an acquittal. I mean, I gather that the basis of their argument revolves around Sally owning that Pendant. They already suggested that Mr. Lanyard ripped it from the suspect as he was falling."

"I'm inclined to say that part is true, but then that still leaves the subject of who really owns it open. I don't think the evidence I have can prove it belongs to someone else, so I might have to go a different route. Unfortunately, the only thing I can do is to wait and see what the next witness has to say about the murder.

"And speaking of murders, how well did you know the victim?" Sonic added. "Judging by the DNA they found on Mr. Lanyard's body and what witnesses before the murder said, it suggests that you two had some kind of prior relations."

"We happened to work together on one of his cases that spilled over into Knothole," the woman answered. "It had to deal with a bank robber who tried to escape the Mobius police. I think it happened a month before you became a defense attorney. We were able to corner the guy and arrest him without incident. We became good friends during the incident, but we had a mutual understanding that we were just that."

"I've met him a few times myself during that incident," her brother added as he thought back to that moment. "He was a pleasant guy to be with, and he took the time to teach my sister some tricks of the trade. He even managed to help me out a bit in my race to become the mayor. He always tried to take time out of his life to help others and never went beyond the scope of his abilities and noted boundaries."

"Geez, why is it always the good guys that are killed? It can never be someone who has had some kind of shady past or anything like that. Seriously, these cases I take are like taken out of some clichéd mystery novel. God, why do things have to be more complicated than they're supposed to be?"

"That's because we're always dealing with murderers who take care to cover most of their tracks," a familiarly young voice replied. "I don't think there'd ever be trials if everyone were sloppy with their crimes."

Looking over at the doorway, the three saw Tails standing against the doorway. He had been off at training with Interpol on and off for the past year. His appearance hardly changed apart from the slight growth spurt he underwent. He had on a set of gloves that were slightly different from those he normally wore, and he had resting on a chain around his neck a pair of glasses. He also had around his waist a belt that seemed to hold bits of small machinery which Sonic had no idea what they would be used for.

"Tails! When did you get here?" the hedgehog exclaimed before going up to his little brother and giving him a hug.

"I went to our office and saw you weren't there," the fox explained after half-heartedly wrestling out of the other's tight embrace. "I knew you were back from vacation, so I figured you were taking on a case. Something tells me I'm right about that."

"It's been a long time, Tails," Sally greeted with a warm smile. "I've heard that you've been doing a lot of big things lately."

"It's good to see you and Elias again after so long. I just wish that it wasn't under these circumstances."

"So you've already heard about what's going on," Elias stated more than he asked. As happy as he was seeing the young fox again, the frown was ever present in reflection to what they were going through. "How'd you know of it though?"

"I happened to pass by Vector and Silver on my way in," Tails explained. "They were talking with a woman, but Vector broke away to say hi to me. He knew I was coming to see if Sonic needed help, and he told me to relay a message saying that he feels there's something off about their next witness."

"Wh-What do you mean?" Sonic asked. As much as he was used to Vector's occasional secretive transfers of information; he never once said anything about his witnesses before now. "What doesn't he understand about her?"

"He didn't say, but I have a feeling he might be saying she's going to testify next and what she has to say is kind of off. I didn't have much chance to ask since he pretended he was just being friendly before letting me go."

"So even the prosecutor has doubts about his witness?" the woman questioned with a confused look. "I guess he doesn't have much choice but to endure it since she's going to help prove his case. Still, I don't understand why he would willingly want to help us. I mean, he's the man who's representing the state to insure my conviction."

"Well, it just so happens that you have a prosecutor with a zeal for the truth trying to persecute you," the cobalt hedgehog explained. "Vector and I have been solving cases and discovering the truth behind them ever since I first started working. Just because he represents the state doesn't mean he's going to ignore everything that goes against him. He doesn't care about the results; he considers himself a winner so long as the truth in a case has been revealed. If there's ever a prosecutor out there who would give defendants a fair run at proving their innocence, then he would be one of them."

"Hmm, he certainly sounds more logical than most other prosecutors I've spoken with," the young mayor replied, clearly intrigued with what he just heard. "You know, I've been trying to have the Prosecutor's Office back in Knothole reform to views like that, but most are quite stubborn to change. And that's not even mentioning the heavy politics backing them and their zeal for prioritizing results over the truth. Perhaps I should ask if he can come over sometime and talk some sense into them."

"With his busy schedule as prosecutor and owner of his own private detective agency, I doubt he really has time for much else," the fox lightly discouraged. "Apart from phone calls, Sonic and I hardly have a chance to see him. You'd be lucky if he can guarantee you a time to meet within the next couple months!

"Speaking of meetings, who's taking care of things back at Knothole right now?" he added once he realized the highest official in the village was standing with them. "Is it safe for you to be here and leave important business to others?"

"Megan's right now taking care of things for me. She has the right to make decisions in my stead and knows how to keep some overzealous supervisors in check. She also knows how I like to work, so I can trust her to keep things in order while I'm gone. Things haven't gotten so bad yet that I need to be watching everything all hours of the day."

"Really, Elias; you don't have to take time off work for this," Sally said. "As much as I appreciate it, shouldn't you be busy figuring out how to take care of whatever damage some of those power-hungry supervisors might cause because of this? They're always looking for some way to get you off the mayoral seat. Them spreading rumors that your sister was caught up in a murder might be enough for them to cause a scandal!"

"I can take care of their childish game of politics later; you're more important right now. I want to see with my own eyes the person who dared to pin their crimes on you. I know I can't do anything since I have no legal jurisdiction here. Still, just seeing them with my own eyes get caught and pegged as the coward they are is more than enough for me."

"Mr. Sonic, court is about to resume," the bailiff cut in as he opened the courtroom doors. "I suggest that you and the defendant take your places now."

"Looks like we're going to start round two," Sonic murmured as he began gathering his things. "If what Vector said to you is true, then there's something off with his next witness's testimony. He must not be able to figure it out if he's actually going to let her testify, so this is probably the only way he can ask for my help."

"Do you mind if I went along with you?" Tails asked as Sally was approached by the bailiff and escorted into the courtroom. "I'm already here, so maybe I can help figure out what's strange about the next witness."

"You sure you can handle it, Tails?" Elias asked with a skeptically raised eyebrow. "I've heard how you're partners with Sonic in owning the M&M Law Agency, but can you really help him with this? I know that you've been busy getting trained by Interpol in the ways of advanced investigation techniques over the past year. Perhaps you should sit this one out and wait until all your training has fully sunken in."

"Don't worry, Elias; I'm not going to hold Sonic back if that's what you're thinking," the other replied with an appreciative smile. "I've always been able to help him even before I started taking those classes. Now that I've learned a few tricks from Interpol, maybe we'll be able to get further than we'd normally be able to. And I need a chance to practice my new skills sometime, so why not start it now?"

"Stop being a worrywart and let us do our jobs," the hedgehog stated with a confident smile as he made his way into the courtroom with Tails following close behind. "I promise that we're going to get Sally out of this mess. Just have a bit of faith in us."

"…You've definitely grown a bit from that little rascal of a kid you were all those years ago before moving here, Sonic," the young mayor murmured amusedly as he watched the two walk into the courtroom. He then made his way to the gallery where the rest of the onlookers had already gathered and waiting for things to start back up.

"Court will now reconvene!" the Judge announced after seeing that everybody was at their places. He had already been sitting at his seat when Sonic and Tails came in, and Vector was at his desk waiting with his arms crossed. "Prosecutor Vector, is your next witness prepared to take the stand?"

"Her testimony is the same as what she told investigators, so I think she's more than ready to testify," the crocodile responded with a nod of his head. "Unless you want to discuss about something else, I'd like to call her in now."

"Very well; if you could escort the witness in, bailiff?" the old man asked, the bailiff nodding and quickly heading out to bring the witness in.

A few seconds later, a young woman was brought into the courtroom. She had on a yellow summer dress with white frills at the hem. Her brown hair was tied back with a yellow ribbon into a ponytail. She seemed like an overall collected lady who merely stumbled upon a frightening scene, but Sonic's experience had taught him that even the calmest of people can drastically change when pressed with the right questions.

"Can the witness please state her name and occupation for the court?" Vector asked, his arms still crossed.

"My name is Marilyn Jay-Ana, but I prefer to be called Mary," the woman introduced herself. "I'm a volunteer for an organization that travels around Mobius offering help to those in homeless shelters."

"Can you please tell us what you witnessed on the night of the murder, Ms. Ana?" the Judge asked. "It would be a great help to us if you would."

"Of course I can, Your Honor," Mary replied as she smiled a sweet and innocent smile. "Isn't it my duty as a citizen who witnessed a crime to help ensure the proper party is punished for their crimes?"

"Yeesh, she's like a sweet little kitten with her claws at the ready to strike!" Sonic said with a half-frown.

"On top of that, there's probably going to be something wrong with what she has to say," Tails reminded. "Don't forget that Vector has some concerns about her testimony. We better make sure to pay attention to everything she has to say."

"No need to tell me twice. Now let's see what Ms. Ana has to say!"

_**What I Witnessed**_

I had just finished volunteering at a nearby homeless shelter. Having not been to Mobius Park before, I decided to take a walk there. I then found the victim lying on the ground with a broken neck! When I looked up, I saw the defendant leaning against the railing. I thought she was thinking about killing me just for seeing the body! She then made a run for it after noticing that I saw her.

_**End Testimony**_

"Well, that definitely sounds like a rather concrete piece of testimony," the Judge said after reviewing what he just heard. "If everything you say is true, then I can't see how anybody but the defendant could've done this!"

"Now do you see why having this witness come to testify is nothing but a waste of time?" Vector asked as he put on his headphones. His voice might have been saying one thing, but Sonic and Tails noticed the doubt lingering in his eyes. "Apart from the little bits of new details she added, everything she said pretty much correlates with what the evidence has proven. I don't see anything that can be contradicted in her testimony, so why doesn't the defense merely admit their defeat?"

"And give you the satisfaction of convicting the wrong person for murder?" Sonic replied with a stern look. "Since when have you ever seen me go down without a fight? This may seem hopeless to you, but there's always something that can be discovered."

"Words are good, but how about you try backing them up with your actions?" the crocodile countered smugly. "You do have a reputation for bluffing, so let's see if this is one of those infamous moments."

"Do you really think we'll be able to find something strange in her testimony, Sonic?" Tails whispered.

"…To be honest, Vector's right about how Ms. Ana's testimony is structured," the other admitted. "With what she's testified to, none of the evidence I have can even come close to making a dent in what she said. I can't even refute the parts where she gave new information about what she claimed happened after the murder."

"…Maybe it's time to put my skills to the test," the fox suggested after a couple seconds of silence. He then reached into one of the pockets in his belt and pulled out a set of classes that looked the same as the one around his neck. He then said as he handed it to Sonic, "For this to work, I'll need you to put these on."

"Uh, why are you giving me glasses?"

"Just put them on and trust me. This is something I learned from Interpol, but you need to put them on to see and work with what I'm doing."

With only a questioning raise of his eyebrows, Sonic did as he was told and put on the glasses. Tails did the same with his own and began fidgeting around with one of the small machines on his belt.

"Might I ask what it is the defense is doing?" the Judge asked after having observed them for the past minute. "All your whisperings and sudden want to put on glasses doesn't exactly reflect well on your overall performance."

"Perhaps they're merely trying to find some way to stall," Vector suggested while also looking at the two with a curious gaze. He was fiddling with the cord of his headphones in concern while trying to figure out what they were doing.

"If the court doesn't mind, the defense would like to incorporate some techniques that are normally taught to Interpol agents," Tails responded. "In essence, they are merely extensions of how a cross-examination can be conducted. Being that we're dealing with information that the court is in no position to possibly refute; I believe that this would be the most prudent course of action for us to take."

"And what exactly is this technique by Interpol called?" the old man asked, his voice heavy with intrigue at what he was hearing.

"It relies on the pieces of machinery that you see strapped to my belt. They call it 'The Mood Matrix Program'." The moment he said that, he pressed a button which brought about an image to the glasses that both he and Sonic were wearing. At the same time, the projector in the courtroom was now projecting a grid-like image that had four different faces along the corners of the grid. Everyone was shocked at what they were seeing; Sonic was doubly shocked at seeing the glasses now showing details that he knew nothing about.

"Oh my, what's going on?" Mary, who had been silent during the entire exchange, asked as she looked at everything in amazement. "I've never seen anything like this in all the trials I watched before!"

"The Mood Matrix Program," the crocodile murmured in amazement as he watched the projector. "I've heard from Salem and Leon that only the elite Interpol Agents are allowed to use this. To think that I can finally see what it is they've been talking about be put to work! The fact that the agency has allowed you to both learn and utilize this technique really shows how skilled you are, Tails!"

"And how exactly does this Interpol-exclusive form of investigation works, Mr. Prower?" the Judge asked as he studied what was on the projector and was no closer to understanding it. "As impressed as I am with your bank of knowledge, I'm afraid you'll have to explain yourself if you wish the court to accept this form of cross-examination.

"I promise to explain it as we go along. But first, can I ask the witness to testify once more for us? It's so that the machine here can record her voice and pick up on anything it finds strange."

"I suppose we have no choice. If you would please repeat your statement, Ms. Ana?"

"I don't know about having my voice recorded, but I suppose I don't have much of a choice," the woman said in a skeptical tone.

_**Initiating Mood Matrix Program**_

I had just finished volunteering at a nearby homeless shelter. **Joy: 1**

Having not been to Mobius Park before, I decided to take a walk there. **Joy: 1****, ****Anger: 1**

I then found the victim lying on the ground with a broken neck!**Surprise: 3**

When I looked up, I saw the defendant leaning against the railing.**Fear: 2****, ****Surprise: 3**

I thought she was thinking about killing me just for seeing the body! **Anger: 1****, ****Fear: 3**

She then made a run for it after noticing that I saw her. **Anger: 1****, ****Fear: 2****, ****Surprise: 2**

"Wh-What's all this, Tails?" Sonic asked as his glasses was suddenly bombarded with a bunch of images. "It's like I'm looking right at a monitor or something!"

"What you see on the projector is a detailed analysis of the witness's voice as she's giving her testimony," Tails explained to the court as he ignored Sonic's question. "The Mood Matrix Program basically 'listens' to the target's voice and uses the stress tones it hears to tell us what they're feeling when recalling the memory. While not necessarily a lie detector, this is a good way to check for inconsistencies in testimonies. For me and Sonic, the glasses we wear allow us to see the same thing but in more concrete details."

"And what are the numbers we see next to each statement?" Vector questioned, his tone clearly reflecting the intrigue at seeing the system in action. "I assume they're a gauge as to how intense the emotion is at each statement."

"You assume right, Prosecutor Vector. The scale runs from zero to four. There won't be a number if there's no significant emotional reaction. A four means that the highlighted emotion is receiving a very strong reaction."

"The faces also play a role in determining what emotion the witness is feeling during each statement," he continued on. "The green smiley face is **Joy**; the blue frowning face is **Sad** or **Fear**; the red agitated face is **Anger**; and the yellow shocked face is **Surprise** or **Confusion**. You see each one in action in this particular emotional analysis, although this greatly differs from person to person. In short, this system allows us to see the witness's emotional state as they present us with their testimony. In turn, we can observe their emotions and see if they contradict with how an average everyday person would feel when put in the same situation."

"So we're basically looking for any emotions that shouldn't exist or emotions that are at a level different than what a regular person would feel?" the cobalt hedgehog surmised. He was busy waving his arms at the monitor-like images projected from his glasses and watching them temporarily distort every time he touched them. "That doesn't sound too hard to do. And can I go on with my regular testimony when I'm doing this?"

"You can, but you run the risk of compromising what's already in the data. The Mood Matrix is always updating the information based on what it hears from its target. Having them say something new will change the data, so only ask them questions if you really need to or you feel what they say contradicts the evidence."

"In other words, I should be careful of what I say when you're using this. Good to know."

"And one more thing," Tails added in a whisper so only the two could hear. "This can only detect emotional inconsistencies based on the first testimony it analyzed. Just because it doesn't sense any more emotional discord doesn't mean that you've picked out everything the witness might be hiding. Just letting you know so you don't rely too heavily on it."

"Thanks for the head's-up."

"Now that you've given the court both an explanation and a headache, can you please get back to your cross-examination?" the Judge irritably asked. "We don't have all day, and I don't think the witness appreciates being used as a test subject for whatever it is you have in store."

"Oh, I don't mind too much, Your Honor," Mary replied with a kind smile. "I'm always for the bettering of the law. If this is how it'll happen, then I'm more than happy to play tribute to the efforts."

"…I wonder if you'll be happy about it once I point something out to you," Sonic said once he finally examined the emotional reactions. "After reading the results of your testimony, I noticed that there's one emotion that shouldn't be there. When you told us you 'decided to take a walk' in Mobius Park, you showed a sense of **joy**."

"Like I said, that was the first time I ever went to that park," the woman simply stated. "Is there something wrong with being happy?"

"There's nothing wrong with that, but the fact you also felt some **anger** is what makes that statement strange. Do you mind explaining to the court why you were also feeling angry during your first trek through that park?"

At the same time the hedgehog was stating his findings, Tails was fiddling with his gadgets so that the results could be seen on the projector. Now that the court could see what they were pointing out, most of them were murmuring in agreement at the strange flash of emotion at an otherwise happy moment.

"I was angry?" the witness murmured as she looked at the findings. "…Oh, I think I know why that is! It's because of a call I received a few minutes before on my cell. The organization leader was asking me to do something at such short notice. He riled me up pretty good with that inconsiderate request, so I decided to take a calming walk. Coincidentally, Mobius Park was nearby. So I made an angry moment into a happy one."

"Hmm, I suppose that'd explain the bout of anger you showed," the defense attorney skeptically admitted.

"That may be so, but the program's still picking up some unusual stress from her," the young fox quietly noted as he stared intently at the images before him. He then said out loud, "Ms. Ana, do you mind altering your testimony so it reflects what you just said about having received an angering phone call?"

"I suppose I could do that," she replied with a shrug. Vector merely stood quiet looking as stoic as he could. However, the excitement of watching the Mood Matrix being put into action was clear in his eyes.

_**Emotional Update**_

I got an infuriating call from my boss earlier that evening! **Anger: 1**

That's when I decided to turn my venture into a calming walk. **Anger: 1****, ****Joy: 1**

After a while, I saw the victim on the ground with his neck broken! **Fear: 2****, ****Surprise: 2**

When I looked up, I saw the defendant staring down at the body. **Joy: 1****, ****Fear: 2****, ****Surprise: 2**

She then ran away once she noticed I was there. **Anger: 1****, ****Surprise: 2**

"This is the same testimony from earlier, Tails," Sonic said in a confused manner. "How is her repeating things going to help us?"

"The words might paint the same picture, but the emotions behind them have changed," Tails explained as he programed the new results to appear in front of them. "You see how some of them are different from before? That happens quite frequently when the person is asked to add in a detail we caught them on. We're basically deconstructing their odd emotions in order to get to the cause of their strange emotional recollections."

"Geez, I can see why Interpol is the only organization using this technique. There's so many technical things going on that it's hard to keep up."

"Don't worry; I'll deal with the heavily technical stuff. You just concentrate on reading the emotions and see if there's something strange. And don't forget; you can always present evidence if you feel they said something contradictory."

"I must admit that your 'emotional' show is rather interesting to say the least," Vector commented bluntly despite the small hint of excitement in his tone. "However, all you've uncovered so far was a minute detail about Ms. Ana's infuriating phone conversation with her volunteer leader! Everything else she said now was the same as before! How does that help you understand whether or not she's telling the truth?"

"Trust me when I say I'm just as confused about this as you, Prosecutor Vector," the cobalt hedgehog admitted, earning him a jab to the ribs from his young partner. "However, me being confused doesn't mean I've become blind to blatant contradictions!

"Ms. Ana, your testimony has just revealed to us yet another oddity in your emotional recollection!" he quickly pointed out. "You said you saw the defendant looking down at both you and the victim. It's clear from your previous statement that you were scared and surprised. Explain to me then why it was you felt **joy** at seeing who you then perceived to be the murderer looking down at you?_!_"

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Mary stuttered, completely caught off-guard by the claim. "I wasn't happy about her looking down at me!"

"And yet the system registered that very emotion as you spoke about that. Emotions don't just come up without good reason. So can you explain to us why you were experiencing **joy** at a moment when you were quite scared and shocked?"

"W-Well, I'm a woman who likes to see justice served to victims!" she explained while wringing her hands. "With the way the defendant was looking down at me and the body, I knew that she was the one who pushed him. And since she was still around, I knew that police would be able to arrest her. That must've been what I was happy about!"

"…You know, your last sentence doesn't really help convince us on the validity of your explanation," the crocodile replied after thinking on what he just heard. "Had you not added it in, I probably wouldn't hesitate in backing you up. Then again, there isn't any evidence saying that wasn't why you were happy at a strange time. And your explanation does make sense in the scope of things, so I suppose it does clear up that inconsistency."

"…That may be the case, but the program's still picking up some emotional discord in her testimony," Tails responded after waving his hands at the virtual screens. He then said to the woman, "I'm afraid we're not quite done questioning you about this yet, Ms. Ana. Do you think you could amend your testimony to reflect your joyous feeling?"

"I-I don't think I'm obligated to do that! You're just trying to use a rather questionable technique to justify your lack of any evidence to prove what I'm saying is wrong. I've never seen a cross-examination conducted like this, and I'm sure the Judge won't stand for this to go on any longer."

"Actually, I'm quite intrigued by what this computerized system has to offer," the Judge admitted. His eyes were still glued to the projector that was still showing the emotional data latent in the current testimony. "As skeptical as I may be about it, even I must admit that it has shown some valid progress. Some have said that emotions are the windows into people's souls, and I believe that is where a person's true intent lies. As such, I must ask that you cooperate with the defense's request and amend your testimony, Ms. Ana."

"…I suppose I have to do what Your Honor requests of me," the witness begrudgingly replied. Whether it was because of the strange mode of cross-examination or being caught in the middle of an unexplainable emotion; she seemed to be growing more disagreeable with giving her testimony. Either way, the defensive team was ready to discover the reasoning behind her strange emotions.

_**Emotional Update**_

Seeing the victim on the ground with his neck broken really scared me! **Fear: 2**

I was surprised when I saw the defendant looking down at me! **Fear: 2****, ****Surprise: 2**

I was also happy she was there so that the police could arrest her. **Joy: 1****, ****Fear: 2**

I saw her push him over the edge with my own two eyes!**Surprise: 3**

Unfortunately, that's when she decided to try and make a run for it! **Anger: 1****, ****Surprise: 2**

"Is it just me, or is your statement slowly changing with every inconsistent emotion that I point out?" Sonic asked. "The overall meaning may be the same, but every small detail you add is always a result of an emotional contradiction."

"You can think what you like, but I'm merely presenting you with explanations for what you consider to be off emotions," Mary curtly explained.

"…And I'll admit you did a good job with it," the hedgehog responded after observing the most recent results and failing to notice anything strange. "In terms of what you said about having seen the defendant push the victim to his death; your **surprise** at what you saw is justified considering the position you were in."

"So are you admitting that her emotional standing was acceptable for what was going on around her?" Vector asked with his arms crossed. "I never thought you'd ever admit so quickly that you can't find anything wrong." While he looked happy at finally catching the other at a road block, he still seemed uncomfortable about the testimony.

Instead of saying anything, the defense attorney merely looked at the monitors projected through his glasses for any signs of an off emotion. As much as he hated to say it, Vector was right when he says Mary's emotions are all in order this time around.

"… …I've looked through the updated results of her testimony many times, but I can't find anything strange," Tails silently admitted to his older brother so the others could not hear. "I suppose that's to be expected; the point of this is to call out inconsistent emotions and show an explanation for why they're there. But the thing that really confuses me is that the program's still saying there are some emotional inconsistencies. If all the emotions the program picked up fits with everything she said, then the only thing I can think of is that there's something wrong with her actual testimony."

"But how can that make everything seem normal? I thought your machine can pick up when someone's emotions go beyond what a regular person would feel. Shouldn't it make it impossible to hide any kind of emotion?"

"The thing about lies is that emotions can sometimes be fabricated so they can fit in with what's being said," the young fox explained. "It's not something that's consciously done by a person, although putting in a conscious effort would make emotionally lying much easier. So it's not really a hiding of emotions more than creating them to fit with the situation. I would suspect that's what Mary's doing now that she knows we keep catching her in emotional inconsistencies. The best thing I can think to do is to continue on as though it were a normal cross-examination. If she just told us a lie, then we need to figure out what it is. Once we do that, we should be able to shoot down her falsified emotions!"

"As much as I hate to interrupt the defense's private discussion; let me remind you that wasting the court's time is frowned upon," the Judge warningly said. "Mr. Sonic, you've already admitted that you see nothing emotionally wrong with Ms. Ana's testimony. The only reason you decided to check her emotional stability was because you claimed that a conventional cross-examination would yield nothing new. And it was only because this unknown technique has been used widely by Interpol that I allowed for Mr. Prower to make use of it. If you don't have anything else of contradictory nature to announce, then I ask you put an end to this."

"…I only admitted that I see nothing wrong with the witness's testimony on an emotional level," Sonic replied after thinking on it a couple seconds longer. "However, I just realized that there's something off with her amended testimony."

"And what exactly is it that you say is off?" Vector asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on, Prosecutor Vector; you of all people should've noticed it by now," the hedgehog said with a cocky smile. "Didn't you originally call Ms. Ana in as a witness for what happened after the murder took place? If I remember you and Detective Silver saying before the recess, she never actually saw the moment the crime was committed."

"So what if she only…!" the crocodile quickly cut himself off after noticing just where this was going. "Wait a minute! Didn't she just say…?"

"That she 'saw her push him over the edge'. Her own statement contradicts the basis for why she was originally summoned here. We have been under the pretense the entire time that there wasn't a single witness to the crime itself. However, I've just proven after carefully sifting through this testimony that this isn't the case!

"The reason I believe her emotions were inconsistent was because she was hiding the fact she saw the actual murder," the defense attorney explained. "It was only after we caught her in two emotional contradictions did she let it slip she saw the exact moment. I don't know why she chose to keep that detail hidden, but the fact remains that I've proven she did it. As such, Ms. Ana has lied to both us and the investigators about how much she really knows in regards to what happened that evening!"

"Is this true, Ms. Ana?" the old man asked above the sound of the excited gallery. "Did you really withhold what could be valuable information from this court?"

"…I suppose there's no point in denying it now," the witness somberly admitted. "It's true; I saw the actual moment of the murder. I just didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong about the defendant being the one responsible."

"…We did it, Sonic!" Tails softly exclaimed as he looked at the emotional data once more. "The program doesn't sense any more discord with her emotions. Now that we've gotten her to admit she saw more than she was letting on and the fact that she's unsure about who the real murderer is; her **surprise** was nothing more than excess emotion created in order to go along with what she believed in her mind to be the truth!"

"Wow, I can't believe emotions can be so effective in getting more information out of witnesses," Sonic admitted with a wide smile. He then took off his glasses as Tails had just turned off the holographic feed. "Thanks a lot for your help, Tails. I don't think we'd be here now if it weren't for you!"

_**Mood Matrix Program Terminated**_

* * *

**Updated Evidence:**

Pendant: A gold necklace with a three-dimensional heart-shaped pendant about 1 inch tall and wide. Sally found it in the park while talking with Scott. She handed it off to him after hearing him say that he would try to figure out who it belonged to.

**New Profiles:**

Miles Prower: A young thirteen-year-old fox who prefers to be called by his nickname "Tails". He has taken special courses through Interpol over the past year regarding advanced investigative techniques and uses it to help Sonic with his cases. He's also the co-owner of the M&M Legal Agency.

Marilyn Jay-Ana: A twenty-three-year-old woman who likes to volunteer to help the homeless. She prefers to be called "Mary". She is a witness to the aftermath of Scott's murder.

**Updated Profiles:**

Marilyn Jay-Ana: A twenty-three-year-old woman who likes volunteer work and prefers to be called "Mary". It has been proven that she actually saw the moment the murder took place.

* * *

Well, that's it for this new chapter. I hope you liked my version of how the Mood Matrix Program works. Seriously, this is how I felt it should've been done in the game. There was so much potential for it; constraining it for just searching for off emotions lessened the potential it had. And sorry for the abrupt ending. I just felt like continuing with the story with more information now would make it seem very dragged on. That and I wanted to showcase the debut of my version of the Mood Matrix Program in one chapter. So yeah, I hope you don't mind the abruptness.

But yeah, that's pretty much it for me now. I'm going to bed and try to catch up on my sleep. Please don't forget to leave a review before you go. Until the next update to this or any one of my other stories on here everybody!


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